By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Kansas: Backes' Prep Football Rankings
Kyle Reynolds made a statement Saturday for Bishop Miege coach Tim Grunhard and the rest of the Stag Nation.
When he intercepted a screen pass and raced 56 yards for a second half touchdown in Saturday's 14-13 come-from-behind win over defending 5A state champion Blue Valley, Reynolds seemed to be saying, "We're Back."
"I think the kids started thinking, `Hey, we can play with these guys," Grunhard said about the first real break his team got to that point in the game. "I think we got a real shot in the arm on that one big play."
Although Reynolds' play shifted momentum Bishop Miege's way, the Stags still needed another score. Up stepped Stag quarterback Sedrick Baskin-Ward, who calmly connected with junior Alex Canena on a 74-yard scoring play to take the lead later in the second half, and get the win.
The signature win gives Bishop Miege its first 3-0 start since the 2003 season and places the Stags in the No. 3 spot in the latest 5A football rankings.
"This win is a shot in the arm for us," Grunhard said of his team's fine start to the 2007 season. "We were down a bit, but now we're working our way back up. This is a real nice start for us."
For Grunhard, the key to upending Blue Valley was disrupting its timing on offense.
"We knew they had big linemen," Grunhard said. "They have unbelievable size. We had to use our speed and try to get some penetration and cause problems for them. They don't do much (offensively), but what they do they do well. We knew if we could get in the backfield and mess up their timing we'd be alright."
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Grunhard was aware how common it is for teams to have a letup following a big win.
"You can go from the penthouse to the outhouse in one game," Grunhard said. "The kids know this win is meaningless if we don't take care of the rest of them. They understand that the ultimate goal was not to beat Blue Valley. Our ultimate goal is to go to state, and we're not there yet."
The Stags host Blue Valley Northwest (1-2) Friday.
Team (Record) Offensive - Defensive Scoring
Eight-Man 1
1. Waverly (3-0) 172 - 82
Defeated Burlingame, 62-30. Next: Miami (Mo.)
2. Jetmore (3-0) 162 - 40
Defeated South Central, 54-14. Next: at Pawnee Heights
3. Macksville (3-0) 154 - 52
Defeated Quivira Heights, 56-36. Next: Pretty Prairie
4. Madison (3-0) 144 - 0
Defeated St. Paul, 50-0. Next: Marais des Cygnes Valley
5. Clifton-Clyde (3-0) 160 - 26
Defeated Axtell, 52-6. Next: at Baileyville
Eight-Man 2
1. Victoria (3-0) 140 - 6
Defeated Claflin, 34-0. Next: at Quivira Heights
2. Hope (3-0) 184 - 22
Defeated Sunrise Academy, 58-8. Next: at Centre
3. Sharon Springs (3-0) 158 - 56
Defeated Cheyenne Wells (Co.), 50-0. Next: at Ingalls
4. Tescott (3-0) 182 - 34
Defeated Wilson, 74-34. Next: Natoma
5. South Haven (3-0) 146 - 20
Defeated Caldwell, 54-20. Next: at South Barber
Class 2-1A
1. Smith Center (3-0) 201 - 0
Defeated Phillipsburg, 74-0. Next: at Ellis
2. St. Mary's Colgan (3-0) 120 - 0
Defeated Baxter, 40-0. Next: at Girard
3. St. Francis (3-0) 111 - 26
Defeated Colby, 38-13. Next: at Oakley
4. Peabody-Burns (3-0) 98 - 21
Defeated Canton-Galva, 21-9. Next: Sedgwick
5. LaCrosse (3-0) 138 - 45
Defeated St. John, 38-18. Next: Lincoln
Class 3A
1. Silver Lake (3-0) 109 - 19
Defeated Rock Creek, 35-0. Next: St. Mary's
2. Garden Plain (3-0) 187 - 47
Defeated Kingman, 62-13. Next: Cheney
3. Sabetha (3-0) 84 - 24
Defeated Hiawatha, 28-8. Next: Holton
4. Sacred Heart (3-0) 112 - 74
Defeated Russell, 34-24. Next: Belleville
5. Hoisington (3-0) 131 - 36
Defeated Lyons, 62-23. Next: Hesston
Class 4A
1. Andale (3-0) 112 - 54
Defeated Andover Central, 37-27. Next: Rose Hill
2. Girard (3-0) 147 - 13
Defeated Frontenac, 42-7. Next: St. Mary's Colgan
3. Holton (3-0) 145 - 22
Defeated Nemaha Valley, 30-10. Next: Sabetha
4. Topeka Hayden (3-0) 106 - 28
Defeated Topeka High, 38-7. Next: Manhattan
5. Louisburg (3-0) 165 - 27
Defeated Gardner-Edgerton, 37-20. Next: at De Soto
Class 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (3-0) 113 - 34
Defeated Blue Valley North, 28-21. Next: Blue Valley
2. Blue Valley West (3-0) 84 - 35
Defeated Blue Valley Northwest, 35-6. Next: Blue Valley North
3. Bishop Miege (3-0) 74 - 27
Defeated Blue Valley, 14-13. Next: Blue Valley Northwest
4. Wichita Carroll (3-0) 92 - 34
Defeated Wichita Northwest, 12-7. Next: Wichita East
5. Blue Valley (2-1) 48 - 36
Lost to Bishop Miege, 14-13. Next: St. Thomas Aquinas
Class 6A
1. Hutchinson (3-0) 107 - 30
Defeated Derby, 41-13. Next Salina Central
2. Shawnee Mission West (3-0) 61 - 21
Defeated Olathe South, 20-14. Next: Shawnee Mission South
3. Wichita East (3-0) 136 - 2
Defeated Wichita West, 69-0. Next: Wichita Carroll
4. Shawnee Mission Northwest (3-0) 118 - 42
Defeated Olathe North, 45-22. Next: Shawnee Mission North
5. Olathe South (2-1) 83 - 61
Lost to Shawnee Mission West, 20-14. Next: Lawrence
Ranking Notes:
Three teams in the rankings have not allowed a single point so far this season. Madison, the fourth-ranked team in Eight-Man 1, has out scored it's opponents 144-0, while Class 2-1A's top two teams are still unscored upon. No. 1 Smith Center has out scored its foes by an astounding margin of 201-0. Second-ranked St. Mary's Colgan has put up 120 points on offense, while posting a goose egg defensively. The only points third-ranked Wichita East (6A) has allowed is a safety in the opening game of the season against Wichita North.
